Saginaw Bay is full of fish, but watch which ones you eat

Wes Stafford | Times Photo fileMark Courts of Harris, Minn., holds aloft two of the fish that brought him the top $100,000 prize in the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail Mercury Championship in May 2008. While there are plenty of fish to be had in the Saginaw Bay, consuming the fish can pose a risk to your health.

Saginaw Bay is brimming with walleye this spring, say professional anglers who fished here during a weekend walleye tournament.

"The fishing is phenomenal," said Wisconsin angler Gary Parsons, who took second place in the inaugural Anglers Insight Marketing tournament. "I caught 30 to 40 (walleye) a day, and I could have caught more."

But for people who plan to eat walleye caught in Saginaw Bay this year, the Michigan Department of Community Health urges some caution.

According to the agency's 2008 Michigan Family Fish Consumption Guide, women of child-bearing age and children under age 15 should not eat any walleye from Saginaw Bay that measures more than 18 inches in length.

The Bay City Times Photo fileSaginaw Bay anglers should check the fish advisory guidelines before enjoying the catch of the day for dinner.

That's due to levels of PCBs, mercury and dioxins the fish may have absorbed while growing up in the bay.

Walleye between 14 and 18 inches can be consumed once per month by women and children, according to the guide.

For the general population, Saginaw Bay walleye can be eaten once per week, regardless of size. And there is no consumption limits for the general population for walleye between 14 and 18 inches long.

South Dakota pro walleye angler Rick Olson, who has fished Saginaw Bay for years, said many walleye in the bay are in the 17- or 18-inch range, which would put them in the safe range for most people.

And Olson said catching those fish has never been easier than right now.

"I caught 30 to 50 fish a day. The public should be thrilled by what's out there," Olson said.

Parsons said in the years he's fished in the bay, he's never seen so many walleye in the Saginaw River, where he spent his time catching them during the AIM tournament.

"Saginaw Bay is one of the country's premier fishing locations," he said.

Tod Williams is the owner of the Bay Port Fish Co., which nets fish in Saginaw Bay for commercial sale.

Williams said walleye aren't the only fish in large numbers on the bay. His company is having a lot of success catching whitefish, another tasty food fish. His boats launch from Caseville to catch them.

Whitefish from Lake Huron also have some warnings from the Health Department concerning PCBs and dioxins.

According to the consumption guide, whitefish larger than 18 inches should not be eaten by women of child-bearing age or children under age 15. For the general population, whitefish larger than 22 inches should not be consumed, the guide advises.

A third popular food fish, yellow perch, has fewer eating restrictions. In Saginaw Bay, the recommendation for yellow perch is one meal per week for women of child-bearing age and children, and unlimited for the general population.

The Saginaw Bay advisories also apply to Saginaw Bay tributaries where migratory fish may enter.

Many other water bodies in Michigan have fish consumption advisories for common chemicals, such as PCBs and mercury. That includes fish caught in Lake Michigan and even Lake Superior.